MSUK - Competition Seats: One-year Regulation ‘Freeze’ and a new FIA Standard

Published: 09/03/2021

Motorsport UK has announced today (08.03.2021) that it has extended the validity of certain FIA-homologated competition seats by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Motorsport UK Board, and its Technical Committee, agreed that competitors who were unable to benefit from the full usable life of seats that expired during 2020 or 2021 will be able to use them for a further 12 months beyond the homologated life.

The calendars for Stage Rally and Rallycross have been particularly impacted and this ‘Regulation freeze’ in relation to seats will afford those competitors a grace period as motorsport gets back on track following the latest period of lockdown.  

The applicable Regulations are N6.13.6.1 and R48.10.6, and the extension applies specifically as follows:

•    Seats with an original homologation label detailing a manufacture date during 2013, which may be used for up to 8 years from the date on that original homologation label; 
and
•    Seats with a ‘Not Valid After’ date (on the original homologation label) of 2019, which may be used until 31st December 2022. 

The validity dates above take into account the additional two years’ use over the FIA homologation validity already afforded to seats used in National Events in these disciplines.

The date of implementation of the above Exemption (Regulation A2.4) is immediate and will cease on 31 December 2022.

New FIA Standard – 8855-2021 – Competition Seats

Motorsport UK’s one-year extension to the validity period of competition seats has the additional benefit of allowing more time for competitors to adopt the latest FIA Standard for Competition Seats should they so wish.

The aim of this standard is to provide objective performance requirements for a new generation of competition seats, which are considerably in excess of those of FIA Standard 8855-1999, ensuring improved strength and support during rear impacts together with more extensive support to the pelvis, shoulder, and head during side impacts.

The maximum usable life of an FIA-homologated competition seat will be 10 years from the year of manufacture. Notwithstanding the “Not valid after” date, a seat involved in a serious accident should be withdrawn from service immediately.
 

More details can be found here: | Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (fia.com)